Google SEO News and Discussion Forum

There has been much talk and speculation over Google's apparent favoring of "Brands" vs affiliate sites. At least in certain niches.

In our niches the trend has very much been one of favoring brands regardless of the quality of their content and features.

I'd love to hear people's opinion about how google identifies brands and which factors play more of a role than others.

PS. If you are going to argue that google doesn't favor brands please start another thread. I am sure there are people who would like to continue debating this but I would like to hear from people who share our view. I understand that in some industries this is not an issue or could be less prevalent than in others.

Possible brand indicators: - Not an exact match domain - Higher percentage of links on brand name and / or URL / domain name - No obvious "product comparison" through lists and reviews of third party products - Lack of affiliate links / outgoing redirects

I would humbly disagree with some of your suggested signals like "Not an exact match domain" because popular brand names can also be highly searched terms which would turn their brand domain into an exact match domain. Also some big brands have many affiliate links on their sites (I'm not sure but would guess most top traffic sites have some affiliate or outbound redirect).

- editorially reviewed and white listed sites ( usually in top verticals - chances are regional reviewers know your site well already) - probability score ( as shown in auto suggest ) it always intrigues me when a not so well known person pops up on a TV show and how immediately the name is suggested using Googles auto suggest query. Including terms that surround the name that broaden the popularity of that name. - links ( yes, they are scarce as hens teeth for some, but I believe they are still a key indicator) - association and circles, who's in your neighbourhood - newsworthy , who's regularly being picked up in the news ( this is not merely about press releases - it's about what's sticking out there ) - $$'s ; lots and lots. Unfortunately, you need to cleverly outspend your rivals in marketing promotion which self circulates into a reason for folks to search for you.

Hope that provides some food for thought. As always it comes down to action plans to make these things and others translate properly. Some of the above references might assist in complementing that plan.

But first, before you can position your site in the market with a brand reputation, it must pass the test of being "useful" before folks retain knowledge and share their positive experience.There's a separate thread on that.

A brand is a name used to identify a company and its products or services. If the "name" is associated by regular SE searchers with line of products/services then the "name" becomes a brand name. I can assume that when Google algo sees a high volume of searches and direct traffic using that name it (the G algo) correlates it with the niche that this brand is popular in and favor it over other sites on that niche.

Makes sense. I tried my domain...greenwidget.com. For years many have always thought it was the plural. I know they aren't looking for greenwidgets.com because the site is a hastily put together mom and pop site, but they get the type in traffic:( I should have made an offer when I had the money.

Lesson: Think ahead or buy both domains.

Wait, check that. When I use greenwidget it brings up auto suggest for the other site, but the moment I add the dot before com my site appears. I guess that's good? I also tried this on the Google home page and it showed a link box with description below the search bar.

"I agree to an extent but I also see brands ranking that have terrible websites, average products and use horrible blackhat techniques."

Yes, this happens.

But I would argue that their black hat techniques occur DESPITE their lack of branding. I don't think we should confuse their black hat techniques as being a form of branding.

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While I understand and agree that associated words used in search can help google understand that your site has a relationship to a product or service.

But I think that google is also using non-linked citations as well to establish the connection. Having your site mentioned on a page in near proximity to the key words is, I think, also helpful to google.